Category: Legislation

The Assembly appears ready to weigh in on the scandal plagued New York City’s public housing agency.

Late Friday night, Speaker Carl Heastie introduced legislation that would authorize NYCHA to use design-build procurement processes to quickly respond to its critical infrastructure needs.

“Currently, there are a large number of tenants living in New York City Housing Authority developments requiring a significant amount of work. Given the substantial scope of repairs needed to NYCHA’s heating systems and other critical facilities, a new, more efficient approach needs to be taken by NYCHA to address its capital needs; otherwise, tenants will continue experiencing disruptions,” reads the bill memorandum.

Jim Malatras, president of the Rockefeller Institute, joined Poozer Politics to explain the mechanics of the program, highlighted interesting proposals and identified the potential benefits (large and small) for taxpayers.

The conversation also addressed the criticism that this process fails to address major cost drivers, like pensions, and whether the analysis has been too political.

Assemblyman Dan Quart, a Manhattan Democrat, has introduced legislation that would impost special restrictions on campaign contributions for district attorney candidates. Candidates would be required to disclose any contributions from law firms that represents defendants in criminal proceedings and there will be limits on contributions from people or corporate entities that have “legal dealings” with a district attorney’s office. Continue reading “The Cyrus Vance Rules”

One month after a man was dragged off a plane, the Long Island Democrat introduced a bill on Friday prohibiting the involuntary removal of a passenger because the airline overbooked the flight. Anyone who violates this prohibition, under the proposed law, could be required to pay damages

“There is no excuse for an aircraft operator to forcible remove any person who has paid for an assigned seat on such aircraft,” read the bill memo, which goes on to note that people often make “specific arrangements” to travel and interruptions can be “extremely inconvenient.”

The prohibition would only apply if a person paid for their fare and had an “assigned seat.”

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Meet Poozer

David Lombardo has worked in and around the Capitol since 2009, when he was an intern with the Legislative Gazette.
He was the Capitol Reporter for the Daily Gazette, where he was recognized by the AP for his blogging. He has since worked as the communications manager for a think tank, ran a (winning) political campaign and served as director of communications for a member of the Assembly.
David is now Capitol Reporter & Development Strategist for New York StateWatch.